


Never Broken

by Starofwinter



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Force Ghost Qui-Gon Jinn, GFY, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 21:12:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6873445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starofwinter/pseuds/Starofwinter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Obi-Wan gets a visitor during his first days in the desert.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Broken

Obi-Wan’s pain bleeds into the Force from behind cracked shields, breaking faster than he can rebuild them.  The Master can feel it in the ebb and flow of the Force’s currents, and he  _ reaches _ for him.  It’s difficult, but he has an anchor, and his Padawan needs him in ways he never has before.  “Obi-Wan.”

 

It should be comical how quickly he spins around, eyes wide and face pale beneath a desert tan, but all Qui-Gon sees is the heartbreak and…  _ fear? _ he tries so quickly to hide.  “Master?”  That seems to be the trigger for Obi-Wan’s collapse, and it’s worth the extra effort it takes to become tangible, to wrap his apprentice in his arms for as long as he can as the boy - who is a boy no longer - breaks apart in his arms.  “I’m sorry, Master,” he whispers as shattering sobs rip through him, “I’m sorry, I failed you, I failed Anakin, I’m sorry.  I couldn’t save him.”  

 

He runs his fingers through ginger hair, bleached by the sun, and he shushes Obi-Wan gently.  “It isn’t your fault, Padawan, you did all you could.  I know you did, I do not fault you for it.  The blame does not lie with you.”  Had Obi-Wan expected blame for this?  No one had seen Sidious’ rise, not even Yoda himself.  “You cannot blame yourself.”  

 

“I do,” Obi-Wan whispers, “I should have seen it, I should have trained Anakin-”  Another shuddering breath.  “I should have done  _ something _ .  All this death, all this suffering, because I could not-”

 

“Obi-Wan.”  He regrets the sharpness of his tone when the man in his arms flinches, but at least he knows he has his Padawan’s full attention when grey eyes meekly meet his own.  “I have seen it.  Whatever you did, whatever you could have done, the Sith would have won regardless.  Sidious spent decades lying in wait for this very moment.  Even for you, my apprentice.  Listen to me very carefully.  There was nothing you could do to reverse what the Force had already set in motion.  It was your influence that kept Anakin in the Light for as long as he was, and I am very proud of you.  I should have told you that many years ago, and it was only my own attachment that kept you from your Trials.  You would have been the youngest Knight of the Order, and you would have earned that honor.”  

 

Obi-Wan looks dumbstruck.  “Master, I-”

 

“Furthermore, you cannot take responsibility for another’s Fall.”  They both know he is speaking from experience.  “Anakin was manipulated by the Sith and the Dark Side, and it is not your fault.”  When he was bound by the Order, he had fully believed their ideas that a Fallen apprentice was the fault of the Master.  He had twisted that blame into self-recrimination and he’d taken it out on Obi-Wan.  Now, he sees far too much to believe that foolishness.  There was much more at work than any of them had ever believed.  “You are responsible solely for your own path, then and now.  What do you choose, my apprentice?”

 

“I cannot leave Luke.  He will need to be protected, and trained when the time is right.”  Obi-Wan visibly collects himself, though the pain that had wrenched at Qui-Gon is lessened, at least.  He was beginning to find a measure of peace, and it lightened the Master’s own burden.  

 

“Very well then.  However, I hope you do not believe yourself too old to learn - there is much left to teach you.”

  
Obi-Wan’s smile is dawn over the desert, slow but warm and brilliant.  “I await your instruction, Master.”  He bows deeply, though his eyes sparkle with old mischief, and it draws a laugh from his old Master.  Yes, this is the Obi-Wan he left behind - beaten, bruised, but never broken.  


End file.
